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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

Claire always found sorrow to be a difficult emotion. Not just for herself, but everyone. It made people do the simplest things. Sometimes—and quite often—the stupidest things as well. The brightest people could always be counted upon to lose themselves in grief as if they had no brain at all. The emotion was like all others, in that everyone had a chance in their lives to feel it. But sorrow and loss always seemed to be some kind of defining arc in their lives. It built people up or it tore them down, but it always left some kind of change.

The Kelvic really wished she could tell just what kind of change it had instilled in her.

After spending the better part of a week trying to ward off loneliness, Claire simply found it too much to fight. In Alvadas, it had been the reminders in corner of her home—even after she had gathered the courage to rid the house of everything that had once belonged to her mother. In every nook there lurked a memory, a sign of peace that had once reigned in the house, torn asunder from her.

In fleeing her home she had simply left a room behind, but the memories remained. They should have brought her some kind of relief after all this time. Remembering her mother as she had been and the joys they held together. But for whatever reason, Claire could not find any happiness in them. Instead they brought about an emptiness in her life that had merely been covered up.

A deeper part of her knew it wasn’t just the loss of her mother. There was a key part of her that desired to bond. Not even her mother could have filled that void, and it was a fact she could no longer ignore. It was a piece of her that beat like the heart behind her own race. To share something with someone so deep it made it hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

It didn’t help that the first person who could possibly fill this void was… less than ideal.

Which was a stupid thought in the first place because if she honestly believed that, then there would be no chance for a bond in the first place. It was just easier to remain in denial than admit to herself that there was something alike in the two of them. So between the sorrow of her mother, and the emptiness of an unfulfilled bond, the raptor did something she rarely reached for. Drinking.

Some drank to wash away their feelings. To cover them until they could no longer make sense of the pain that ate away at them. Claire did not fall under that guise. No, for her the gift in drinking was happiness. A ridiculously kind of giddy that only came when her body tingled from the effects alcohol. In this state every thought of hers moved as one. As if they all originated in from the same space, but never lingered longer than necessary. It was almost like flying, without the effort to stay aloft. A blissful moment in time that came simply from the bottle before her.

When Claire had seated herself, she did not have the intention of being drunk. In fact she really hadn’t fully reached that point yet. Things were hazy for sure, but her mind was not addled to the point where memory was affected. She knew where she was, and why she was there. But it everything had an odd poetic beauty to it, and that included her current choice of wine.

Honestly she had just wanted to sample a few the Akalak had in stock. The Kelvic had heard of the amazing wine the vineyard produced, and she couldn’t even count the amount of times she had flown over the beautiful scenery. But to actually have the time to enjoy something like this was rare, and her mind fell in desperate need of comfort.

The stem of the glass rolled between her fingertips as she stared out a window to the sky above. Clouds moved at a leisurely pace, pristine white and fluffy. The wine in her glass however stood out in the corner of her eye. The goldish color was an ironic reminder really, of gold skin that had nagged at the back of her mind for too long. In fact the wine rather smelled like him too. The hint of vanilla that lingered in the air and on her tongue.

It was a really good wine.

Sighing, Claire leaned back in her chair. The rhythmic swish of the liquid was mesmerizing even if her eyes were not trained on the glass. The alcohol was having its intended effect however. There was no melancholy from the thoughts of the brute. Or her mother. In fact...

Her mother most certainly would not have approved of him.

For some reason the thought made her giggle. The idea of her mother sizing up the tall Eypharian was hilarious. A staring match for the ages probably. After all her mother had been much smaller than even her. She probably wouldn't have even been able to make eye contact with Rhodri.

Rhodri walked with a purpose. He had spent most of the day sweating over weights and mats while helping others to achieve a higher physical prowess. Working was something he was not overly fond of but he realized it to be necessary and was proud of himself for not giving up. Despite his arrogant nature and racist views, the Eypharian was doubly hard on himself. His parents saw to it that his standards were so high for every aspect of his life; a pattern that certainly leeched its way into the young man’s psyche.

He made his way out of the city with the very little contact with the rest of the pedestrian traffic. The desert aristocrat was thankful for that but still felt his skin crawl every time someone brushed up against him. Rhodri took a detour away from the road and down towards the river. His destination was in the opposite direction but hygiene was not something the proud man was willing to skip. He had his ruck with him, as always, and settled down a few feet away from the bank. The many hands unloaded his arsenal in an orderly fashion; mirror, comb, brush, razor, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste and cologne. The big man stripped off his linen shirt and pants while slipping out of his boots. He folded everything up neatly upon the shore and then took his soap into the river’s shallow edge.

The water was rushing fairly quickly so he was only able to get about knee deep and still feel comfortably in control. Rhodri knelt down and used his half dozen hands to splash and rub water all along his body. He felt the cool liquid wash away the grimy, sticky sweat and spent extra focus on his face and hair. After a chime of getting wet and allowing the cold to exhilarate him, the Eypharian lathered up with his soap. He started with his legs then his groin and torso before moving up to get all six arms and armpits and finally smothering his head in suds. Through a briefly squinted eye, he tossed the bar of soap up on shore and went about rinsing himself off. The whole process only took a few chimes and the gilded-skinned man walked back towards his gear.

First, he cleaned the blades of grass from his bar of soap and set it on the corner of his dirty shirt. As the droplets ran down his skin and the breeze chilled him, Rhodri took his comb and ran it through his beard several times. It was about an inch long and he knew that was too much. He had felt the itch and poke of the stubborn hairs for the last few weeks and picked up his razor. The man pushed the comb against the lay of his facial hair and left it flat against his cheek. With another hand, he held the mirror out where he could see his face and then brought the razor from the inside out along the tines of his comb. The bone utensil created about a quarter inch of space between skin and blade thus leaving a very short but even stubble. With each pass, the Eypharian whipped the blade against the water to remove any loose hairs. Trimming his beard took almost fifteen chimes but as he splashed his face again then padded it try with the corner of his cloak, he smiled at the evenly groomed black beard that allowed just a hint of his divinely-blessed skin to show through.

Next, he brushed his hair up and around in such a way that left it away from his face and pulled back ever so slightly. While being longer than normal, Rho found that it laid very neatly behind his ears and out of his eyes which he enjoyed so he did not fuss any more with his do. The man used his linen pants to dry himself off in a quick sort of way. He did not wish to rub the grime of his work on his clean skin but realized that he had forgotten a towel. Once the majority of the water was free of his form, he stepped out onto his work clothes and used his turban to finish the drying process. The head wrap was clean and offered an excellent means of water removal. The Eypharian stripped from his wet drawers and stepped into a clean pair then pulled on his ramie pants and sleeveless shirt. The blue pants were vivid and smooth as was the black top. His leather boots looked a bit dusty but a quick whip with the wet linens shined them up quite nice. Rhodri’s final two steps of preparation involved brushing his teeth and dabbing on a few dollops of cologne. Neither of these things took very long for most people but Rhodri spent a good five chimes working the fiber bristles against his teeth and gums. The Bluevein River was cold and clear thus making it an excellent source for one to rinse his mouth.

Rhodri packed up his things and shouldered his pack but not before slipped his cloak over his wide frame. The water had left him chilled and even though he was dry, his skin was sill remembering the feeling of the icy river. The arrogant Eypharian was now dressed and clean so his posture had to reflect as much. He was taller than most but hefted his chin even moreso as he made his way back to the road and then across it as he headed towards the winery. Several times, people would stop and make a remark about being cut off by the tall figure but he ignored them. They should know royalty when they see it. His cologne forced a few remarks as well but of a different sort. One filthy, green Akalak remarked that Rhodri was too hairy to be a whore but like all the rest of the peasants; he was ignored.

The winery was a wonderful structure. Rhodri paused as the many arcs and archways deserved a moment’s respect. Being an elitist, however, he held no look of awe or slack-jawwed stare. No, the Eypharian maintained his cold expression of indifference even as he passed through the elegantly carved doors and stepped into the foyer. The inside was well laid out and used the tall ceilings well. Rafter placement broke up certain spaces and Rhodri found himself following a trail of blues into a main room and up to a large granite counter. He waited patiently in line while avoiding eye contact with any and everyone. When he got up to the bar, he lifted the wine list up so that it blocked the face of the man who was waiting to serve him. Several times, the Eypharian tilted his head as he considered various vintages to sample. The Winery had a reputation as serving the best drink in all of Mizahar.

Rhodri put the list down and spoke through the Akalak who was now glaring at the Eypharian. “A bottle of Ice and one glass.”

“We’re all out.” The brute grunted. He barely let Rhodri finish his statement. The deep eyes of Rhodri narrowed but before he could speak, his host went on to explain. “It’s a wine made from frozen grapes. No winter last year. No Ice wine.”

Rhodri bit his scathing comment. The logic made sense. “Blood, then. Surely you have that in stock.” The lower left hand slid twenty gold-rimmed Mizas onto the bar. The Akalak nodded and replaced the coins with an empty glass then turned to fetch the requested vintage. It didn’t take him long and he passed it over to his customer with a bit of a sneer and a corkscrew.

“Leave the corkscrew in the glass when you’re finished, Eypharian.” The man barked after Rhodri but it was too late. The racist in gold skin had moved on and was not going to acknowledge the barkeep any further. The brown eyes scanned the room for a place to sit but he saw many of the more luxurious booths were already claimed. It was during this sweep when his jaw actually fell open and left his mouth agape –catching flies as his mother would say. Rhodri couldn’t believe it. Sitting with a bottle of gold wine in a dark blue dress was the fiery brunette that had healed him.

Claire.

She had run into him at the bridge where the Akalaks had sacrificed a woman because she had aborted her Akalak baby. The man leaned against a cocktail table and set his glass down. With his middle set of hands, he utilized the corkscrew then pried it free with that signature pop. Rhodri removed the cork from the tool and slipped it into his pocket but left the corkscrew on the table. He poured two fingers into his glass and began to swirl it around allowing the wine to breath. Lifting it to his nose, he inhaled the deep aroma of figs and cedar but also caught the licorice and tobacco hints. He was starting to like this wine already but not as much as the plan he had formulated in his mind on how to deal with the pair of big blue ogres who had moved in on the small kelvic’s table.

Rhodri shifted his weight and walked with long strides and his shoulders thrown back. The cloak flowed behind him in such a way that it seemed to announce his divinity –and arrogance. When the Eypharian reached the table, his presence had been anticipated. One of the blues made a head nod to the other and this man was now standing in between Rhodri and Claire so that they couldn’t see one another.

“No room for you, pretty boy.” The shorter but broader man sneered.

Rhodri remained calm and nodded his head with a polite expression of patience on his face. “I do not intend to ruin your evening, sirs but I have information about this woman that you should hear.” Rhodri turned so that his gaze fixed upon the man who had seated himself next to the small brunette. “She is a Nakivak and has entered into arrangements with my boss.” Subtly, his lower left hand touched his left thigh. “Perhaps you may have heard of him; Melanos of Gideon’s Glory?” The name had the desired effect. Both of the usurpers went wide-eyed and looked at the other. Rhodri took a step back as they gathered themselves and left with grumbling and backwards glances. The Eypharian used his lower left hand to give the one who had not spoken to him a firm pat on the shoulder. “Have a good evening!” He called as he watched them sulk away.

With a very graceful set of steps, Rhodri turned, took a step towards the table and shifted a chair then sank into it in such a way that he was now seated across from Claire. He lifted his glass in a minor gesture of toast as he set the bottle down on the table. He was smiling while looking over the dark purple liquid at her somewhat glassy stare. The color of the wine seemed to match his eyes or maybe it was the other way around but his lingering stare continued as he took a sip. His pheromones pulsed a slow stream of scent and sweat as the son of a nobleman took in the dark blue ties that held the flimsy dress in place. The locks of brown hair were disheveled but it was so perfectly in tune with Claire’s slouch that Rhodri couldn’t imagine the present image any better. After holding the rich liquor until it began to bite his tongue, he swallowed then spoke in a smooth and soft tone. “Interesting company you keep, healer. I hope you don’t mind me giving you an upgrade.” Interestingly enough and unbeknownst to the kelvic, Rhodri had been jealous –almost possessive- when he saw those men with her. It reminded him that he strings attached to one of the brutes so he made a mental note to periodically check the room for the blue as the conversation went on.

It was a shadow that suddenly stretched over her that pulled Claire from the thoughts of her deceased mother and the Eypharian. It hovered across her table, weighing down on her shoulders as if physically pressing against her. Letting her eyes slip closed, the Kelvic let out a long breath through her nose. The presence demanded attention and Claire wasn't sure she was up for the challenge.

Willing social interactions outside of work was never her forte. Elma had claimed it was part of being a raptor—they weren't birds that flocked together. Literally. In jest Claire had claimed she was simply taking after Elma's obvious bedside manners. There was a reason Elma had hired her, and it certainly wasn't Claire's early knowledge of medicine…

Cocking her head to the left the Kelvic’s eyes landed on not one but two Akalak. Both of them easily towered over her and it wasn't just because she was seated. It took everything in her not to whine out loud. It felt like literally everyone in Riverfall was taller than her.

It was beginning to hurt her neck!

“Do you mind if we join you?” The closest Akalak questioned, throwing her a half grin. Claire remained motionless as she stared up at the him.

Yes. Yes I do.

The thought flew through her mind, but the raptor managed to catch the words before they tumbled out of her mouth. The glass of wine that had been spinning in her hand finally came to a stop as the Kelvic wrinkled her nose slightly. She couldn't think of a way to say no without appearing rude. She didn't want to ruin the happy feeling still vaguely floating around the back of her mind.

Luckily for her there was an interruption. The Akalak who had remained silent suddenly turned away, and though she could hear him speak, the words were jumbled as he wasn't facing her. It was the voice that responded that caused a flood of reactions that Claire couldn't have stopped if she wanted.

She could hear the words, but nothing seemed to process as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her stomach flipped upside down. The last of her breath left her lungs in a single rush and for a moment the room spun… and not just because of the drink moving through her veins. Apparently if one thought long enough on someone else, they took to appearing.

Her mind snapped back to her just as quickly as it left. The word Nakivak stuck out as he informed the two before him she was taken... apparently. This time she was pretty sure the reason the room spun was because she shook her head in an attempt to readjust and process what the brute had said. She wasn't a Nakivak... And of course there was the incessant pull once again tugging at the back of her mind, reminding her it had never left as Rhodri wished the men a good evening and made himself comfortable across the table from her with his own wine.

Her eyes skirted across his form as he took a sip of his wine. The first time she had met the Eypharian he had been a mess. She couldn't imagine how long it had been since he had last bathed or groomed. Not to mention he had taken a decent beating. The second time he had looked better, but somehow he seemed different this time. He was impeccably trimmed and clean, and Claire couldn’t imagine just how long it took him to look so. And almost irritatingly handsome. He still held his air of arrogance, and unfortunately it did little to deter from his grace.

The difference was he was smiling.

It was almost tempting to smile in return. There was no telling if it was real or not, given her past experience with him. Last time she had seen the brute he had been either displeased with her, or completely nonchalant. Claire couldn’t but purse her lips slightly as she hunched in her seat staring at him, fingers returning to her glass so that the index finger of her right hand could run circles along the rim. As he swallowed he finally spoke directly to her and Claire couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in his direction. An upgrade in company…

The Kelvic could either let him ruin her drink, or let it be… the latter seemed like it would be easier on her head later on.

It was close to a chime before the raptor finally spoke, removing her sharp eyes from the Eypharian to return to the window next to her. “As much of an upgrade as it could be, what with you basically calling me a whore. Isn’t that what you called Christina?” There was no scathing tone to accompany the words, in fact there may have been a hint of grin on her lips as she lifted her own glass. Claire pulled a deep breath of the wine, letting the scent of vanilla and coconut fill her lungs before letting it slip past her lips in a delicate sip and returning her eyes to the table.

“Whatever brings you to my table Eypharian?” She dragged the name of his race like a purr. If he refused to call her by her name, then she could very well do the same. Wiggling her eyebrows at the man, she swirled her glass once more. “And just who am I playing whore to anyways? I thought you believed I wouldn’t be able to handle ‘big guys’.”

At her own question the Kelvic wrinkled her nose again, though the small grin didn’t leave her lips. “I could see why though. Everyone here is bigger than me. I don’t think I’ll ever get to used to that.”

Rhodri was pleasantly pleased with how his ruse had worked. The duo of giants had moved on without a fuss and now he was here with Claire enjoying a decent glass of wine. The unattended liquor demanded a sip so he swirled the glass under his nose and inhaled its rich aroma then promptly tilted it against his lips for a mouthful. He let the liquid wash around his mouth and even swished it with his tongue a few times to give the bouquet enough time to unfold. Sweet and savory, the punch was moot after an instant and so the Eypharian let the wine run down his throat. The aftertaste was mostly cedar which Rhodri found interesting and decided he rather enjoyed the vintage. He was studying its color as the sun’s rays filtered through tall windows and cascaded against his bottle when the glint of gold from Claire’s glass caught his eye and diverted his attention.

The woman was staring at him with a pursed expression that caused his left eyebrow to rise in response. His mahogany gaze followed her delicate finger as it chased itself around the glass rim. Her tiny hand stole his focus for a moment as he remembered how gentle she had been that first day; how comforting her touch truly was. His pheromone glands pumped his scent into the air and mixed with his cologne. The vanilla and sandalwood carried a hint of cinnamon with it as the sweat from his body mixed with the oil that he had applied after his bath in the river. It amazed the young man that remembering that sensation triggered his racial indicator of attraction. The last few times had been purely physical in nature but this was different. Of course, now that he had started the argument in his head, those images of her flashing from feather to feminine made their way to the forefront of the discussion and his scent permeated even faster in response. The man took another brief sip of his blood wine and twisted slightly in his chair so that he could stretch out his legs. She had spoken something but he had missed it. The slight grin on her face was almost devious in nature and he was fumbling through the ambient recording of the last few chimes for a hint of what her words could have been.

Rhodri had heard her say Christina and his memories replayed from that night at the bridge. He had been rude but such was his nature. How he was going to finagle his way out of only hearing half of her statement was beyond his abilities but then she continued to speak and he smiled but ducked behind his glass as if shy. The grin was wide and earnest but it wasn’t because of what she had said –well, not really. It was the royal carpet she was rolling out for him to walk down. The Eypharian was about to have some fun with the small kelvic and she would likely take it all as a compliment. He straightened his face to just on the pleasant side of nonchalant and spoke in a soft, yet borderline excited tone. “I’m sorry for that night. I was tired and I had not had the chance to thank you for taking care of me that day outside of the city.” He stretched his middle right hand over the table and let his fingertips just trace against the top of her hand which rested against her glass. The touch was brief but it would point her gaze from his digits straight to his eyes which now stared at her; wide and vulnerable. “I don’t know if I could ever repay you for that kindness, Claire. Thank you.”

Rhodri slowly retracted his hand in such a way that the tablecloth bunched ever so slightly as if to show his reluctance to break the seemingly innocent and insignificant touch. The man continued with his gentle speech as he poured a splash more wine into his glass. “I didn’t wish you to take my comments to the mbene shure as an insult. I saw that cute little wrinkle that your nose inherits when you’re agitated from across the room. I was merely trying to remove an annoyance for you since you seemed so relaxed.” Rhodri twisted his core and dropped his left arms over the back of his seat. His eyes scanned the room as his upper right hand took his glass and swirled it under his nose again. His eyes closed as he inhaled the flavorful drink before he took a sip. His lips made a single dry pop as he opened them to speak again. The way she said his race made his skin tingle. Her comment about being small did not fall on deaf ears and the man started on a slight tirade. “This city is so beautiful and organized yet the people in charge are literally walking nightmares held in check only by faith and good will. This distracts them from realizing the error of their ways and seeing potential in obvious places. I was always raised to be a racist and have yet to see anything to convince me otherwise but I am not blind.”

Rhodri squared back up in his seat and bent his knees so that the insides of his boots rested against the back legs of his chair. The hulking shoulders and handsome face leaned over the table onto the lower set of elbows. This posture allowed him to loom over to a point where he could easily reach out and touch her or vice versa. His expression was serious and almost concerned as he tilted his head down to match the woman’s gaze. “The fact that you are not more highly respected for your talents is a joke. A woman like you is worth at least a dozen of the blue oxen in any society.” He set his wine down and slid his bottle and glass off to a side so he could lean farther across the furniture until his bottom was barely touching the seat. His play was going very well so far and the man decided to push it just a little bit. With the space between them shrinking, his voice lowered with each encroachment. “You are the perfect size for you. I wouldn’t have you any other way and I count myself lucky that you were there by the river…” his glands were dumping pheromones at a level where the glisten could easily be seen on his neck… “lucky to be here now.” When his mouth closed, Rhodri bit the inside of his lower lip which caused his sun-kissed golden cheeks to turn red. Once more, he pretended to be shy and sat back into his chair then took up his glass for a drink as a means to silence himself. He was nervous -truly- for the Eypharian was wondering if he had said too much. Manipulation demanded a fine line and he was beginning to think he’d crossed it.

I have six arms and one brain.If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.- Eypharian Logic-

It seemed his smile was not the only thing that bordered on different. The man before her seemed to be caught in his own head, for her questions went completely unanswered. Instead he said something that she honestly never thought would be uttered from his mouth. Something that until this particular moment, Claire had considered that the words simply did not exist to him.

An apology.

Not just for the way he had behaved, but an added thank you for the care she had bestowed upon him outside of the city. His excuse for crankiness was lack of sleep. It was something she could excuse academically, but for whatever reason the words only partially took to her heart.

His touch however was distracting to say the least. It nearly mesmerized her, just as much as his gaze. Her head spun again and Claire found it difficult to focus until he retreated away once again. It was almost tempting to follow him across the table…

But a word from his mouth caught her attention, one she had heard from him before. In fact their last meeting had left her labeled as such after her rather unfortunate bout of clumsiness had mildly injured the Eypharian. Mbene shure. This time however it seemed the Akalak duo was the intended targets.

This moved to the back of her mind as Rhodri shifted to drink from his glass again, using his upper set of arms as opposed to the middle hand that had touched her own. In a habit born entirely of her other half, Claire tilted her head further to left, held that position for only a few ticks before her head cocked to the right. Her hair fell across her face, widely unnoticed as she observed not his face, but his shoulders where his arms connected together.

It was something she wasn't used to seeing yet. Nearly mind boggling at how the joints must have been arranged and how his body handled the use of each set. She couldn't help but wonder if he had to put effort into which arms he used or if it was instinctual.

It was only his comment about being a racist that pulled Claire’s thoughts back to the conversation. Her eyebrows rose in surprise at the news, though it did make sense suddenly. His treatment of her… the fury he seemed to hold when she couldn't remember his name. Someone set to be held above the standards, the raptor supposed it made sense, at least in terms of his attitude.

If her surprise was noticed, he certainly didn't seem react. Instead he leaned forward across the table, instantly making her aware of the aroma that seemed to trail about him. It was stronger now, laced with another scent she couldn't easily identify but reminded her of her mother's baking oddly enough. The normal fuzziness it brought to her mind was tempered however, as the alcohol had already began to muddy her mind.

His words about her size set off a war inside her head. This man, who had been nothing but rude and boorish, was paying high compliments. They were beautiful and very nearly everything she wanted to hear about herself, given the rough week she'd been having. But they seemed too perfect, especially coming from him. And so it took several chimes of staring at Rhodri in wonder before her face shifted.

The first outburst came out without warning. The chuckle spilled past her lips, made her eyes widen slightly and her free hand fly to her mouth in an attempt to control herself.

It didn't help.

Laughter bubbled in her chest and Claire had to push her chair from the table to give herself enough room to nearly fold over her knees as she laughed. It was uncontrollable thanks to the amount of alcohol moving through her veins, and that alone made it difficult to stop. Not to mention if she let it, the idea might actually hurt… pretty words with no meaning.

Claire quite literally lost track of time. Tears pricked the edge of her eyes from the force and lack of air as her lungs felt as though she had run miles. By the time she caught her breath and managed to look up her cheeks were thoroughly flushed.

“Ahm. My a-apologies.” The poor girl pressed her lips tightly together for a moment before she shook her head and brushed the tears aside. “You actually had me for a moment. Thank you was a very nice touch.” The Kelvic nodded before sniffing gently through her nose and leaning back into her chair correctly.

“It's not the first time I've heard stuff like that. Usually some kind of sedative is required, but flattery will get you… somewhere. I can't remember the saying.” A hand waved through the air dismissively before she looked back at the Eypharian.

“I'm taking that thank you by the way, whether you meant it or not.” Claire stated rather possessively, as though the man had any chance of retracting his statement. “You should have stopped while you were ahead you know. I'm going to be rather cross with you later when I get my head on straight.”

Claire twirled her finger in the air lazily, circling towards nothing in particular before she lifted her glass of wine and downed it without a second thought. She winced as the liquid burned its way down before locking her keen eyes on back on the brute.

“What is with that smell anyway? It's coming from you I've got no doubt… usually makes my head a little funny but it's already there.” The happy buzz was rising quickly, and Claire reached across the table to snatch the bottle of wine the Eypharian had bought for himself. She sniffed the opening delicately before cocking her head back at the man.

He was playing games with her head and it didn't make sense. The pull was there, hanging in the back of her mind like a wire just waiting to be pulled tight. He was resisting it. Well… she was too, but it seemed the brute hadn't even acknowledged his part.

The possibility of the bond.

“You've got to feel it. I feel it, so it's got to be there…” The words were low but clear as she studied him, unconsciously pulling his bottle of wine to her chest as she chewed on her bottom lip. “Pretty words but no follow through. That's rather an epic sort of failure if I've ever seen one…”

Claire moved the chair further back, but this time she didn't curl into herself. Instead she stood and rounded the table to his side, placing the bottle down with a little more force than necessary, and approached the man until she was nearly touching him.

Normally this sort of closeness was off limits to her unless she was working. Claire held strict limits about boundaries, but the Eypharian seemed to push them around—even when he wasn't trying. With her standing she was nearly the same height as Rhodri, so Claire pressed one hand against the table and leaned in so close to the man’s face their noses almost touched. Her free hand came up to rest on his shoulder, fingertips pressing gently into the skin beneath his shirt as she walked her fingers from the top of his arm to his collar bone. And she repeated her previous question…

The Eypharian winced at her laughter. His dark eyes danced around the room and saw more than a few people taking interest including the men that he had run off chimes earlier. She had caught him outright in his lies but a sudden thought occurred to him that maybe it wasn’t all pretend. His body always responded to the small healer and that gave him an out. Rhodri did his best to look hurt. He was angry at himself –not her- for the poor way in which he started the conversation but her altered state had given him a whole new hand of cards with which to play. The brown orbs went wide and his lip straightened but turned down just so in the corners. With his clean appearance and symmetrical features, Rhodri’s expression mimicked that of a child who had just lost a friend.

Claire’s words held some weight but not enough to carry any water. The desert brat’s lips parted in a pleaded whisper. “Claire…” but she continued which aggravated him so he simply used it to pile on more simulated disappointment. His posture, which up to this point had been just shy of rigid, broke; the broad shoulders sagged as his head hung down as he stared at her while his face was pointed at the glass of wine in front of him. She mentioned his pheromones and he straightened a bit. The sadness he had been displaying wasn’t insincere –Rhodri was down for having failed at his attempt to manipulate the buzzed up brunette across from him- but when she had called out something so personal, he was truly nervous and it showed. Rather than fight or pretend what was going through his head, the young man shifted in his seat as the awkwardness of his racial blessing was discussed by an outsider. The exiled man was curious how she put the two together but that didn’t change the puppy dog stare that he fed her. He opened his mouth to speak but her antics silenced him again.

Pull? What was she talking about? He couldn’t hide his surprise but it didn’t completely chase off his look of bewildered hurt. Rhodri’s gaze studied her tiny hand as it clutched the wine bottle; his wine. The memories of being at her mercy piled on top of the randomness of her statement and the general aura of this entire encounter to fuel a whole new wave of the sweet smelling sweat to glaze the sides of his neck. Something changed. The woman was now standing over him -against him- and her delicate touch was setting fire to his skin. Electricity coursed through his body and the pressure it was creating was visible in the continued wide-eyed stare that she received from the Eypharian. The bottle was slammed on the table and caused some in the vicinity to jump or turn their heads but not Rhodri. He was buried in the moment; drowning in the presence of the Kelvic. His inner racist was arguing with his physiology over what was actually going on and losing.

Claire’s breath brushed his lips and the lack of space between them cast a shadow over their faces. The glands in his neck worked overtime and without coaching or though, his lower hands slid out so his fingertips could play at the fabric that hung from her hips. She spoke his race again and it nearly crushed his will to continue the ruse though a large part of him couldn’t separate truth from act anymore. His middle and upper arms seemed to be hovering near her but were being restrained by his will.

“It’s not a lie…” he blurted suddenly. His eyes were locked onto her but he could feel her warmth against his nose and cheeks as well as taste the vanilla flavored wine that fell from her breath as if she were pouring it into his mouth. “I am grateful; lucky to…” He stopped as he noticed the two men he had run off were moving towards them. He had a plan and it’s one he’d been sitting on since he noticed Claire’s guests. “You.” No mask. No lie. She was the answer to her own question. Deep down inside him, Rhodri knew it to be true despite how much he wanted it to only be an act.

He answered her inquiry and the fingers on Rhodri’s lower hands pressed into her body as if to convey some kind of urgency. His words suddenly came out in a flurry of phrases while his voice was almost hushed. As close as they were, the Eypharian was worried she might be able to hear his thoughts but the level of sincerity in his voice was peaked. “I have something to show you.” He took the hand on his shoulder with his middle hand and moved her fingers to his neck so that she could feel the slick of his pheromones. “My body produces this when I’m attracted to or trying to impress someone. I have no control over it. I…I can’t help myself around you. I can’t control it any more than sweating when I’m hot or shivers when I’m cold.” The murmur of deep voices brought into focus a stark reality that must be handled. “We can’t stand here and talk about it. Your laughter and noise has drawn attention from the people here. The ogres from earlier are coming back and if I acted on my urges, we’d both be pummeled and possibly thrown off a bridge.” He cracked a bit of a smile. “Slap me and storm outside like the bolt of lightning that you are. I will meet you in a few chimes to finish this.”

Without warning, his six hands took a hold of her. The lower set were already on her hips so they clutched her soft curves and drug her waist against him which set his body on fire while the middle set found and restrained her hands. Claire’s hand that was on his neck was pinned down at the wrist while her free hand on the table was interlaced with his own fingers; a sensation that shot sparks up his arm. Rhodri’s top hands found her face and pressed against her warm cheeks. From the palm of his hands to his fingers tips, he nearly covered her small head but he controlled it in a very gentle way. His hands were warm and smooth and tilted her face to the side just slightly as he pressed his lips against hers. An explosion went off in his head that he couldn’t explain and had never felt before. The aristocrat’s fingertips were in her hair and massaged at her skin gently for the few ticks that he maintained the heated embrace. Her mouth was slippery with wine and he greedily pulled at her lower lip with his own. The man’s eyes were shut tight and he felt chills shoot up and down his spine which was unintended. The whole thing was supposed to be a game; a ruse but there was certainly more going on and that worried the Eypharian.

Rhodri broke the kiss and was saddened by the emptiness that found his chest as his hold on her relaxed. His top right hand lingered on her soft hair and his bottom left hand still clutched her hip. The fact that she fit into his hands almost perfectly was not lost on him. Still- with a shy smile and a devious twinkle in his earth-colored eyes he whispered. “Hit me.”

I have six arms and one brain.If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.- Eypharian Logic-

The Eypharian’s face twisted and even through her laughter Claire could feel the mild bout of guilt building in her chest. It felt as if she had a war between her head and heart. Causing some hurt—whether it was emotional or physical—was against her general principle.

Unless she was angry and this certainly wasn't a reaction of anger.

He uttered her name. Her heart flipped upside down in a ridiculous reaction that she refused to acknowledge. Everything screamed at her not to listen—after all he had done a fine job of nearly knocking her off her proverbial feet with just words. Her name had to be another lie. His handsome face, his smooth tone…

Rhodri’s sulking shifted slightly as she mentioned his scent. The very thing that would give him away in a crowd of people around her undoubtedly. Something that actually seemed to haunt her from time to time as she wandered the city. It often left her wondering if he had recently passed through the area or if she was simply losing her mind.

But the mention of the bond—something that he obvious had no name for as of it—pulled his features into a surprise. Good. It was his turn to have his mind reeling. It was easier to fire off questions and accusations than it was to focus on his face. He somehow managed to look like a lost boy despite the very manly planes of his face. It was almost enough to cause her to drop her attack altogether.

She was mildly aware that his fingers had begun to tug at the fabric of her dress. Heat raised to her skin just beneath where he hovered and it took all of Claire's willpower not to look down at his hands.

His insistence that it wasn't a lie forced her chest to constrict a little. Her breathing elevated and the raptor had to shift her weight ever so slightly as the room was feeling a great deal warmer than before. And then he responded with one word.

“You.”

He wanted her? Or was it simply that he was lucky she had found him? Was that even the same thing? Claire couldn't keep the mild frown from her face as she tried to pick apart the word from within. But it seemed the Eypharian was once again moving faster than herself. His voice was like a whisper and Claire found herself focusing entirely on hearing what he had to say rather than everything else around them.

His sudden grip to her hand caused her breath to hitch sharply. The Kelvic might have been afraid if the man hadn't insisted that he had something to show her. He pressed her fingers upwards to his neck, and Claire's eyes shot from his face to the gleaming skin underneath hers. Instinctually her fingers splayed outward across his neck, coating her fingers in the pheromone he apparently couldn't control.

It made her feel powerful. A reaction she didn't often feel while in her human form. This was the gentle side to her, the raptor was the powerhouse. But this was a different kind of power… the idea she could actually bring an involuntary reaction out this towering handsome man. Her fingers curled around his neck, cupping it gently as he spoke.

Unfortunately it seemed her hold over him was slipping. He uttered something about the Akalak men and then sent her an odd looking smile…

… before insisting that she slap him.

“What?”

Her voice cracked in a rather embarrassing moment for her. She had been so focused on him that she hadn't realized how the rest of her body was feeling. He didn't answer however. Instead he seized her body, finishing off what little distance was left between them. Part of her almost flinched—the last time she had pulled so close he had shaken her, called her names and very well dropped her in his efforts to get away.

He did no such thing this time.

He gripped her face with a gentleness the Kelvic never would have guessed he possessed. The warning bell in the back of her mind sounded just as it had near the bridge, but this time he followed through. His lips met hers and she couldn't stop herself from practically falling into the Eypharian.

The Kelvic had been warding off the idea that her attraction to the male was beyond the need to bond. He was handsome sure, but so were many others in the city. Not to mention with the new information brought to light about his pheromones, it would have been so very easy to pass this off as mixed signals in her mind.

But it wasn't pheromones that made her enjoy the press of his lips against hers.

The raptor’s heart hammered so hard against her ribcage she thought the pressure might make her burst. It was probably wise of the Eypharian to have a hold of her, because without it she very well might have crawled into his lap… regardless of the onlookers.

There was the slightest whimper in the back of her throat as he pulled away. Her fingers folded around his, tightening, before his voice filtered once again into her mind. To hit him. It went against everything she stood for… but it was a demand from her… well there wasn't a name for him yet really. For a tick she stood there, blinking once, then twice.

The Kelvic hesitated, fingers that had been wrapped around his just moments before, clutched the table as her mind still reeled. There was a smile plastered to his lips—an honest looking one despite his devious request.

So the request was met. In the blink of an eye Claire released the table and let her hand fly to his face. It was the first time she had truly struck someone so she had no idea if the strike had even been adequate. The palm of her hand stung and the ringing in her ears told her that there had been sufficient sound at least.

The effect on her however was instant. Her eyes widened and the raptor stumbled a few steps away from the Eypharian. The moment there was space between them she felt the loss of heat, and the room suddenly seemed much colder than it had before his touch. But once she moved there was no stopping her.

Her head snapped over her shoulder to take in the blue ‘orges’ that they had caught the attention of. The brute had insisted that she meet him outside… but there was no telling just what the three of them would get into if she left. Not that she was much of a defense if they decided to take a beating to Rhodri. Or herself.

But running was so cowardly…

Her head turned back to stare at Rhodri wide eyed, almost like a deer caught in the middle of a forest. The decision tore at her, and there wasn't any time to think about it. So she did the only thing she could do—finish what she started. Reaching out she snagged her wine off the table in a huff, hesitating just a tick or two, before snatching his as well.

Turning on her heel the Kelvic pulled her back straight and a bee line for the door, studiously keeping her eyes away from everyone else inside. Despite the two wine bottles Claire managed to get the latch open and instantly the fresh air hit her lungs.

For a chime she simply pressed her back against the door as it closed, trying to catch her breath. Between the Eypharian’s kiss and her adrenaline fueled fear, the Kelvic wasn't sure her heart was ever going slow down.

Darting to her left, Claire placed his bottle of wine against the nearest set of vines in an attempt to at least mark which way she had disappeared to, and made her way between the growing grapes until she was far out of sight of the winery.

It felt like forever waiting for him. Claire wasn't even sure if she should be waiting for him. In the near silence of the vineyard—save for the birds flitting from vine to vine occasionally—time was all Claire needed to doubt.

Doubt herself, doubt the six armed man who was determined to drive her crazy. There was the residual effects of his kiss linger in her belly, and the start of a headache forming between her eyes. Worst yet was the creeping suspicion that despite her best efforts to call the Eypharian out on his game, that she had still fallen for it.

His words had been one thing. The Kelvic had avoided falling for them, and even gained some headway against him. And yet all it took was a touch and somehow she couldn't stop herself from reacting to him. Humiliation started to build in her chest at the idea of letting herself once again get caught up against the brute.

First had been her duty—healing him wasn't a choice, but her lifestyle. Second had been anger. Claire had let the man rattle her and she had exploded in response. And now this—a kiss with hollow words. It was embarrassing how easily the man could twist her.

Perhaps the worst was she wanted to believe he was honest with her. She didn't know how to trust someone who was consistently different every time she saw him.

Swallowing thickly, Claire closed her eyes to keep tears from flooding forward. Crying didn't do anyone any good, and the last thing she needed was for someone—anyone—to find her in tears. As it was the tears made it difficult to stand still. She paced back and forth several feet at a time before whirling back the way she came, only to repeat the movement again.

The buzz from the alcohol had faded. What fluttered through her chest was all emotion and none of it felt pleasant. The bottle of her own wine still rested in her palm but she didn't have the stomach to drink it. Instead her fingers tapped along the glass in a nervous thrum…

As if the pacing didn't say enough.

The energy pent up in her chest refused to leave her. Her face flushed and she took the heel of her hands to her temples in an attempt to calm herself. It wasn't working…

Rhodri called out from the core of his being for the world to disappear. Claire’s tiny figure fit into his grasp so well that he now firmly believed she was supposed to be with him; to belong to him. The soft caress of her lips had awoken something deep inside and it pained him to watch her walk away. She ran because he had told her to but why? The Eypharian was spinning into oblivion of his upbringing being challenged by his circumstance and it was not a good time to be second guessing things.

The Akalaks that had been poaching Claire were only ten feet away but laughed uproariously at the plight of the tall, well-built Eypharian. In the city of warriors, someone with Rhodri’s build could easily be seen as a threat or a challenger but not when a tiny, half-drunk woman rips her palm across his face. Half of the customers in the winery were having a chuckle at the young man’s expense so the aristocrat played his part. For a roughly thrown together plan, it was working so far. With his bottle of wine gone and his ‘companion’ split, there was nothing more for him to do so he pressed the wine glass up to his mouth and downed the last bit. Rhodri carefully set down the glass and stood up with his body instantly taking a rigid and upright posture. He turned to face the two big guys from before who were still only a few yards away and gave them both a shrug of his big shoulders.

“What’s wrong, Eypharian? Tried to trick us but it didn’t work out for you either!” The one with the strings attached to his body chortled which was echoed by his lumpy friend.

“Yeah! What happened? Did she realize your extra leg was” the huge person’s booming voice shrank to a tiny squeak, “not so tall?” He waggled his pinky to emphasize the lewd point of the taunt.

Rhodri just nodded along with their jokes. Who was he to argue when everyone had witnessed the amazing shut down provided by a gentle smack? When they had finished he stood with his six arms out- all palm up and shrugged again. “I feel like I should take a bow.” He said with a flashy grin that complimented the light tone of his voice. The two ogres looked at each other, laughed and then agreed with various gestures to promote the Eypharian promoting his shame. Rhodri mad a deep and elegant bow to them both with his arms swinging in from one side and out the other. He stood upright back to his princely stature and crossed his left foot behind his right with the toe of his booth pointed down. In a single motion, Rhodri pivoted to face the opposite direction and he folded into a bow to the other half of the room. This came along with a firm yank and tuck of his arms which drew the strings tight and pulled them until he heard a gasp. When he stood and turned around, the Akalak was on the floor and now everyone was laughing at him in their only language.

The Eypharian used this distraction to make his way out of the landmark location. Rhodri was fiddling with his pack when he busted through the doors and felt the cool air nearly sweep him off his feet. The wine hadn’t gotten to him but Claire had and the young man now felt a desperate pull to find her. He turned his circles trying to see her or find a clue to decipher the direction that she had gone. Just when he was about to give up and ask someone, he saw his wine bottle perfectly placed inside the beginning of a row of vines. Clever and beautiful. He thought to himself. “I’ll have to be more careful.” He half walked and half run to his purchase and removed it from its place. His hands worked to remove the cork from his pocket then replaced it as the Eypharian took off at a job down the aisle and into the vineyard.

His legs pumped and his arms churned as the desert brat would sprint for ten or fifteen yards them stop and use his eight to try and see through some of the thinner vines. The racks were upwards of nine or ten feet but he had better perspective than most. After almost ten chimes of searching, he had not seen her; Rhodri had caught no trace of his little brunette and his stomach was rolling around and slapping the other organs. For a very brief moment, the aristocrat thought he was going to vomit...or…cry? He had been alone for some time now so why this sudden and apparent need for company- no. It was a burning desire for the petite brunette. Stomping back and forth in the vineyard, the young man was starting to feel heat against his cheeks, cold on the sides of his neck and a lump in his throat. He went to call out for Claire but no sound was made.

There was a flitter of birds that crossed his view. The deep gaze followed the winged creatures and it was only in the passing of their feathers that he caught sight of the blowing tresses of brown hair and his body erupted with warmth and longing. The ache in his bones would not be sated by sheer glances and the smell of vanilla and sandalwood even as it blew away from her. Rhodri was on the wrong side of the aisle and his eyes scanned for a way through but he saw one. Destroying the vines was certainly out of the question but he would wait no longer. “Claire.” His voice was clear but the need to touch her and to hold her –to have her- was also apparent. He pressed his body up against the vines and the frame that supported them. Rhodri pressed all six hands into the wire mesh and hooked in his fingers. He wanted to feel her and leaned his forehead into a vine.

Rhodri opened his mouth to speak but found that being this close but still separated was worse that knowing where she had gone. His father’s voice was screaming in his ear and he could feel the weight of his mother’s disapproving eyes but that didn’t matter. Slowly and without taking his eyes off of the little healer, Rhodri began to scale sideways on the vines and fence. He crawled laterally and she mirrored him while he tried to think of words to say but all he could communicate was a lifetime of loneliness that he hadn’t even known until she appeared in his life. Every glance, every touch that they shared sent him to the heavens and back. The act he had started and perpetrated was now making a spectacle out of him but the Eypharian didn’t care. His finger snagged on a twist of wire and red blood slowly began to make its way towards his palm.

“Don’t think me a liar; crazy, sure but I-“ He tripped over his own feet. Apparently, the art of slowly moving sideways along through a vineyard while speaking was too much of a task for the bumbling young man. His eyes led him back to her and he awkwardly climbed up the rack to his full height. In this transition, he saw the end of the row and took off at a dead sprint still bleeding and still clutching his wine bottle. When he reached the end he turned without slowing down. His shoulders leaned in and his legs went wide making the ability to hurl himself at the lithe kelvic all-the-more achievable.

“Finally…” It was all he could say as his body overtook her. Rhodri swept Claire up into his grasp like a tornado with all six of his arms working in unison. The lower set went to the familiar line of her hips and drew her off the ground while pulling her up against his body. The large hands held her outer thighs and helped to guide her legs around his waist as the middle set wrapped his strong arms around her body into a bear hug that registered all of his emotion in the strained pressure that fought itself to keep from crushing her; only for a brief moment did one of the middle hands extend out to catch the wires and vines so that their bodies were eased against the leaves and metal. His top hands found her head once more, the left hand splayed fingers up and held the back of her head. The feel of her soft hair tickling his bare arms sent shocks through his body as his pheromone glands did their best to empty themselves. His top right hand cupped her jaw and cheek clear back to her ear and tilted her head to receive him.

Rhodri’s soul flowed from his mouth as his lips met hers but this time he had set no timeframe and there was no play to be revealed. His eyes were shut so tight that his skin formed small creases of white. It was magic in the moment but not one of djed. The Eypharian could think of nothing, feel nothing but the woman in his grasp and that –she- was all that mattered. The man pressed his face against her to the point that her lower lip parted his own and he felt his tongue instinctively run against her soft skin. He could taste her now and he felt a chill rock his body that made Rhodri feel weak for a moment but he pressed through. Fighting tooth and nail despite the light-headed rush that was threatening to steal his joy, the young man continued to massage the thick, slightly pouted lips with his own mouth. He felt like he might die which the desert brat had experienced before but this time he was willing to accept it if he could remember this moment for all of his next lives.

Rhodri was suddenly out of air and knew he had to break or they would both fall. The hand on her face and the left middle one shot out and clutched the vines. With reluctance, he tore his lips away from her and lowered his head into her hair while his top left hand held her head gently against his shoulder. He was breathing heavily; the evidence of this was the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders. For several long moments he said nothing nor could he look at her. A quick motion was made that moved a hand from the fence to his face and then back to the fence before the dark hair and eyes came to be even with Claire. His eyes were different; glassy and there was a small streak wiped away from the right’s outer corner. Rhodri smiled and leaned against the fence while pulling her body into his own. His cloak billowed around them and he was suddenly aware of something cool against his leg. Looking down, he noticed his wine bottle propped up and gently laid it over on its side before lifted the deep, trembling brown eyes back to her face. His mouth was open and he still had no words to speak other than his expression and the pounding organ inside his chest. As perfect as this was, he still found an arrogant hate belching in his mind about how wrong his actions had been.

Paradise. Perfection. Broken.

I have six arms and one brain.If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.- Eypharian Logic-

The Kelvic was beginning to think he wasn’t coming. A multitude of reasons instantly flooded her mind—everything from the Akalak men performing a thorough beating for his plan, to the simple fact that he had just left the winery with a good laugh knowing the raptor was somewhere in the grapes just waiting for someone that had no intention of showing. The latter actually seemed like a stretch even for her, but it idea took its place in her mind regardless.

It just proved to her that she knew absolutely nothing about the Eypharian save for what he willingly informed upon her—that and at some point the two of them had a rather large attraction for the other. They seemed nearly volatile however… there was never any easy ground between them. Claire either found herself raging mad at him, or intensely desiring him. The whole thing made her head spin, and the residual remnants of the wine certainly didn’t help things. Or that fact that her fingers still held the aroma of his pheromones and the scent of him didn’t leave her for anything.

Somewhere in the middle of all of it was the fact that the bond hung unanswered. It pulled her towards him certainly—and she was rather positive it did the same to him. Her mother had described her bond to her father as something simple—and instant. That it quite literally just happened and everything else just fell into place for them. The fact that this was absolutely nothing like her mother described, it worried the raptor. The two of them together was a challenge, and the desire to bond with the brute wasn’t helping.

Her thoughts however were interrupted by her name. His voice was desperate and the sound made her insides tighten with nerves. Whirling around, her eyes scanned the vines, only to find the large Eypharian pressed entirely to the wire mess and grapes that separated them. It might have been hilarious actually, viewing such a large man in such a position, but there was something in his gaze that made the entire very situation feel more dire than anything else.

So she moved, reaching out with her left hand to touch his fingers wound through the mesh. It was a little disturbing actually—how her moods shifted so easily around him. Claire had never moved from one feeling to another so quickly before in her life. In the back of her mind she couldn’t help but wonder… if she eventually was successful in bonding to the man before her, would she live her whole life in a constant array of moods changing as quick as a river?

Rhodri began to move, and Claire found herself following without being asked. Her fingers trailed the vines, eyes skirting along the line in an attempt to keep him in full view at all times. There was a flash of red against his palm and the girl couldn’t help but wince. “Rhodri be careful!” She hissed at him in an effort to keep quiet. The raptor hadn’t seen anyone else among the vineyard, but she certainly didn’t want to be discovered and ran off by another set of Akalak. It seemed as if her words fell on deaf ears. The brute lost his footing while proclaiming that while he just might be crazy—they probably both were really—he was not lying.

“Okay fine you’re not lying, just crazy! Now watch where you’re going!” The Kelvic pleaded. As the words left her mouth, Rhodri took off and for a moment Claire had no idea where he was going. His appearance at the end of her row caught her off guard and as he quite literally charged at her, the Kelvic thought for a moment he might actual crash into her rather than stop.

It turned out she wasn’t entirely wrong.

The Eypharian caught her up all at once. There was little the poor girl could do save for reach out and snag his shirt at his shoulders, nearly afraid that in his rush to grab her that he might actually drop her. Six arms apparently came in handy however as he easily gripped her thighs—a fact that would have made her squirm if she had been able—and led her legs around his waist. If she had considered herself close to him before, she had been fooling herself. With her lifted to him there was no space between them and Claire couldn’t hold back the groan that pulled from her throat.

This time she expected the kiss—wanted it. His fingers sliding into her hair caused a spark to trail down her spine, and it took no further encouragement for her to meet his lips with hers. Heat flared across her body once again as the scent of vanilla filled her head again. She could taste the wine he had been drinking before, and an undertone that she couldn't make out, but it seemed to fit him perfectly. Her need for the irritating man far surpassed anything she was used to feeling—almost as if everything she had felt before in her life had been muted and gray. Why had the two of them ever bothered to argue when they could have been doing this instead? The Kelvic much preferred losing this battle against him than all her others.

It was Rhodri that pulled away first, and once again the idea of separating irritated her. The Kelvic quite literally grumbled—after she took in the need for air—before pressing her forehead against his shoulder. Her fingers remained firmly locked on his shirt and by this point she was fairly sure the reason they were numb was because there was no blood left in them. At least this time she wasn’t required to instantly put space between them and Claire took the chance to enjoy the warmth outside his kiss. This was much better than drinking in order to feel something beyond sorrow…

Rhodri moved around her to touch his face and it was enough of a jolt for Claire to pull her head back to see his face. There was something about his face, from his eyes to his smile, that made her chest constrict. Except it wasn't happiness that caused the feeling, it was an emotion she rarely felt.

Guilt.

He came to find her because there was a pull between them. While this pull certainly did not create the friction between them—positive or negative—the Eypharian couldn't possibly understand it. Words began to bubble in her chest, pushing to come out and tell him everything. But she was still pressed against him everywhere and that made thinking difficult.

“Rhodri…” Her voice was thick, but even as she swallowed it seemed as though it wasn't going to change. Pressing her lips together, the raptor could still taste him there, and Claire closed her eyes for moment before she tried to attack him a second time.

“Gods you taste better than you smell but,” Her fingers drummed furiously against his shoulders as she tried to gather her thoughts. Against her better judgement she leaned back to the handsome face to press a light kiss to his jaw. One was followed by several more before she groaned once again. Off track once more. “I really need you to put me down.”

To emphasis her request she reluctantly released her legs from his waist. The moment her feet touched the ground and his arms loosened their hold around her, the girl ducked out from his presence in an attempt for space. There wasn't much room between each row of vines, not like she felt she needed.

“You’re not…” No it wasn't fair to put it on him. He may not have understood, and a part of him probably still rebelled, but he was still there regardless. This was her.

She was afraid if she opened her mouth that he would no longer be standing in front of her. Would he be mad? Would he blame her for everything he was feeling?

The Kelvic didn't trust him enough to understand.

He had already claimed to be racist, and while the bond did not create emotions, there was no way she could prove it. What was worse was… Claire had no idea how to trust someone.

Her past was riddled with people, but it had only ever been her mother and Elma. If she opened herself to the Eypharian would it backfire? They weren't bonded sure, but given what had just transpired… losing someone else just ate at her insides.

“I do not know how…” All the words rolling around her head and not one of them was to help her. So she turned back to him and reached out to snatch the hand he had cut. When all else failed her, medicine did not. “Let me see that.” She ground out, doing her best to avoid eye contact with him. If she looked at him she'd fall back into him. Not even guilt would stop that.

Rhodri felt her body cling to him; mold against him. The heat they shared could’ve set the vineyard on fire had there been an external ignition. Her groan instigated something inside of the Eypharian that felt like it belonged to some raging tsana. The big man ground against her for a moment before her words rattled him with a shiver. The way she said his name –the density of it on her lips turned him into a towering inferno of desire that only intensified and spread with her tiny pecks. Each light kiss made him lean into her mouth with his jaw which he rotated to give her access. The world would know a second Valterrian if it tried to interfere with the Eypharian and his Kelvic; for she was his.

The furious embrace became something more in its own right; something pure and raw. It was this tangle of limbs, sweet aromas and soft hair that gave the dessert brat an insight that he never expected to acquire. Some say the best knowledge is the unexpected. Rhodri realized in this instant –with absolute certainty- that he would never have to be alone. It was never a fear that he held onto like a child or a woman but having the comfort that Claire’s embrace provided left the aristocrat feeling powerful.

Slowly and gently, he unwound his long arms from her body and eased her onto the soft ground of the vineyard. The peaceful breeze and delicate song of nearby birds seemed to compliment the feeling of oneness that had settled over the young man. Rhodri watched her move and drank each tick into his memories. She could fly and he could not but even the most knowledgeable scholar would be hard pressed to convince him otherwise at this point. He had comsumed some wine; true but he was drunk on the small woman and nothing else seemed to matter.

‘You’re not…’ That’s what she had said. Not what? His mood was not ruined but the victory lap certainly came to an abrupt end. The confusion settled on his face like the rays of light when they first kiss the land after a long night. The Eypharian felt his body grow cold in her absence. The half phrases and awkwardness that Claire was exhibiting suddenly raised the hairs on the back of the man’s neck. He’d never been dumped before –never having the prerequisite relationship kind of rules out the chance for a horrible ending. Rhodri felt his stomach twist as if someone had grabbed a hold of it on each end and began to ring it out like a wet cloth and the palms of his hands; all six of them, began to itch. This ill feeling grew and grew until his face flushed from the uncomfortable sensations compiling on top of one another.

He allowed her to tend his finger. Her touch, even in this capacity which he knew to be compulsory for the attractive healer, sent him reeling for more contact. He longed to have his broad frame consume her lithe body as he had moments earlier. The man moved his head a round a bit trying to gain her gaze but she avoided it; vehemently. The color of confusion was now changing –morphing into a short side of anger with which he was intimately familiar. Rhodri waited for the brief patch-up to take its affect then felt his anger wane into self-loathing. He wanted to tear into her and interrogate this sudden shift until he had answers. He opened his mouth to speak but it wouldn’t know; couldn’t be sure if his scathing comment would self-inflict or pointedly attack the woman who had not only saved his physical body but she offered him salvation.

“Why do you hide from me? Did I do something wrong?” Rhodri was beside himself. Standing next to a godsend, for that’s what she was, Claire was the boost that the Eypharian needed to realize his potential as a powerful leader and warrior. He was of divine descent and the beautiful kelvic might be a key to unlocking his destiny –yet here she was balking at his affections when she clearly enjoyed them. He hated the idea of being played but was willing to give her the chance to explain. The man had no control over his emotions but was flooded by so many that his gaze might have simply looked vacant.

I have six arms and one brain.If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.- Eypharian Logic-